Michigan lures Beilein away from West Virginia

[Dback Jon]

ATLANTA -- West Virginia coach John Beilein has accepted an offer to become Michigan's next coach, CBS SportsLine.com learned Monday night from a source close to the situation. A news conference is expected in the next 48 hours.

Beilein comes to Michigan after five years at West Virginia, where he compiled a 104-60 record. He has long been rumored to leave for better opportunities, but a $2.5 million buyout prevented that chance until now.

Beilein replaces Tommy Amaker.

 

[Skkorpion]

Big mistake on his part. Not. He will win big there. I don't blame him one bit.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Michigan is a marginal Big 10 program with half the facilities of their two biggest recruiting rivals in Ohio State and MSU and tougher academic standards. I don't see Belien taking them above those schools unless he decides he wants to win by cheating which is the only way Michigan Basketball has done it. UM is simply not a basketball school.

 

[Dback Jon]

Michigan is a marginal Big 10 program with half the facilities of their two biggest recruiting rivals in Ohio State and MSU and tougher academic standards. I don't see Belien taking them above those schools unless he decides he wants to win by cheating which is the only way Michigan Basketball has done it. UM is simply not a basketball school.

Neither was Florida.

Or WVU.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Florida has also had pretty much nobody to deal with in the SEC with Kentucky underachieving and Arkansas jumping the shark in the post-Nolan era. Not to mention Florida's basketball facilties are among the best in the country while Michigan's are quite poor for a program with their football presence. Michigan will have to deal with a blossoming powerhouse in Ohio State and a traditional power in Michigan State in their own recruiting base along with solid basketball programs with more proven head coaches in their own conference in Wisconsin, Illinois, and Indiana. I expect Beilien to get Michigan to about where he got West Virginia - middle of the conference.

 

[Rivercard]

Florida has also had pretty much nobody to deal with in the SEC with Kentucky underachieving and Arkansas jumping the shark in the post-Nolan era. Not to mention Florida's basketball facilties are among the best in the country while Michigan's are quite poor for a program with their football presence. Michigan will have to deal with a blossoming powerhouse in Ohio State and a traditional power in Michigan State in their own recruiting base along with solid basketball programs with more proven head coaches in their own conference in Wisconsin, Illinois, and Indiana. I expect Beilien to get Michigan to about where he got West Virginia - middle of the conference.

You seem blind to the obvious. There is an ebb and flow to college basketball programs these days as players and coaches come and go. Noone is up forever. Michigan is a big school in a big state with some history of success and has as good a chance as anyone to be successful in the future if they get the recruits to come their way.

 

[LVCARDFREAK]

ATLANTA -- West Virginia coach John Beilein has accepted an offer to become Michigan's next coach, CBS SportsLine.com learned Monday night from a source close to the situation. A news conference is expected in the next 48 hours.

Beilein comes to Michigan after five years at West Virginia, where he compiled a 104-60 record. He has long been rumored to leave for better opportunities, but a $2.5 million buyout prevented that chance until now.

Beilein replaces Tommy Amaker.

I am very saddened by this. Beilein is a great Basketball coach and has really turned WVU around. This is a school that has zero chance to recruit in the Big east against GTown, UCONN, Syracuse, Villanova, etc and still all he did was win there.

It will take a few years for Beilein to get the recruits he needs for his motion offense, but once he does UM will be a good basketball school again.

 

[Russ Smith]

I am very saddened by this. Beilein is a great Basketball coach and has really turned WVU around. This is a school that has zero chance to recruit in the Big east against GTown, UCONN, Syracuse, Villanova, etc and still all he did was win there.

It will take a few years for Beilein to get the recruits he needs for his motion offense, but once he does UM will be a good basketball school again.

And his biggest recruiting task started the second he signed the contract, keeping his 3 recruits in the current class. Mao mentioned to me yesterday in a PM a rumor that one of them, Alex Legion, would now go to UCLA. That's the hot rumor now on Scout.com's Michigan board, and UCLA boards.

Apparently Beilein will meet soon with his 3 recruits, nobody's quite sure but apparently Legion chose Michigan at his mom's urging(he's local), he really liked UCLA and now if Afflalo goes pro, Legion wants to go to UCLA. The other 2 appear to be a little less likely to go. ANd of course any of them will have to be released from their LOI or sit out a year and none would likely transfer if they had to sit out a year.

As much as I would love to see UCLA get Legion, I don't see why any kid would NOT want to play for an innovative coach like Beilein?

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

You seem blind to the obvious. There is an ebb and flow to college basketball programs these days as players and coaches come and go. Noone is up forever. Michigan is a big school in a big state with some history of success and has as good a chance as anyone to be successful in the future if they get the recruits to come their way.

Athletic programs both professional and collegiate have ups and downs based upon real things like budgeting and administrative decisions not because there is a natural ebb and flow based on arbitrary things like luck and chance. What allows organizations like the Yankees and Lakers to go to the playoffs every year while the Royals and Warriors are stuck in eternal ineptitude? As far as colleges go, Kansas has gone through four coaches, hundreds of players, and all sorts of good and bad things in the last thirty years and they stay up. Same with North Carolina other than two brief years when there was a systemic change. Michigan will struggle to stay up with Michigan State and Ohio State because they don't have the facilities, basketball budget, and have more difficult acadeimc restrictions. Nobody surpasses other programs simply because it's their turn.

 

[Rivercard]

What allows organizations like the Yankees and Lakers to go to the playoffs every year while the Royals and Warriors are stuck in eternal ineptitude? As far as colleges go, Kansas has gone through four coaches, hundreds of players, and all sorts of good and bad things in the last thirty years and they stay up. Same with North Carolina other than two brief years when there was a systemic change. Michigan will struggle to stay up with Michigan State and Ohio State because they don't have the facilities, basketball budget, and have more difficult acadeimc restrictions. Nobody surpasses other programs simply because it's their turn.

1) You can't compare the structure of pro sports to college hoops and build a story here. Two different animals. In fact, MLB and the NBA are the antithesis of college basketball.

2) Until this year, recently Kansas has been banged out of the tourney in the opening game. Not quite a dynasty.

3) Why the love for Michigan St? What has Michigan St. done recently?

4) Ohio St is a good example of the ebb and flow. Historically Ohio St hasn't been a powerhouse, they've mostly wallowed in mediocrity. I don't expect year's of continual Final Fours coming their way. Their young stars will be bolting early to the NBA.

5) Yes of course facilities and program budgets play a major role in college atheletics. The Kansas' and the Kentucky's of the world have the tools to re-load over and over. Still, there are only 12 or so guys on a team and there is a lot of talent in the country.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

1) You can't compare the structure of pro sports to college hoops and build a story here. Two different animals. In fact, MLB and the NBA are the antithesis of college basketball.

Yes, you can. They're both businesses and teams with more cash have better chances of winning than those without. Of course you'll find your Oakland A's and Boise State Broncos, but they're a minority in the greater scheme of things.

2) Until this year, recently Kansas has been banged out of the tourney in the opening game. Not quite a dynasty.

I think they also won the Big 12 in both of those seasons. Look at the entire body of work instead of one game.

3) Why the love for Michigan St? What has Michigan St. done recently?.

Four Final Fours including one way back in 2005, four conference titles, and a National Championship in the last decade.

Ohio St is a good example of the ebb and flow. Historically Ohio St hasn't been a powerhouse, they've mostly wallowed in mediocrity. I don't expect year's of continual Final Fours coming their way. Their young stars will be bolting early to the NBA.

To be replaced by more young stars that will someday go to the NBA. Ohio State is currently recruiting as well and putting just as much money into their hoops program as any school in the country including the traditional powerhouses. Ohio State isn't going anywhere unless they are put on probation again.

Yes of course facilities and program budgets play a major role in college atheletics. The Kansas' and the Kentucky's of the world have the tools to re-load over and over. Still, there are only 12 or so guys on a team and there is a lot of talent in the country.

And why do you think Kansas and Kentucky have the tools to re-load every year? Because you could probably get a sales tax increase voted into law in those states to support the hoops program with how much support they get. And when you have that kind of money floating around you're going to have much better odds of getting the best talent in the country.